US20080299553A1 - Oligonucleotide Probes for the Genomic Typifying of Erythrocyte Systems, Methods and Relative Diagnostic Kits - Google Patents

Oligonucleotide Probes for the Genomic Typifying of Erythrocyte Systems, Methods and Relative Diagnostic Kits Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20080299553A1
US20080299553A1 US11/795,827 US79582706A US2008299553A1 US 20080299553 A1 US20080299553 A1 US 20080299553A1 US 79582706 A US79582706 A US 79582706A US 2008299553 A1 US2008299553 A1 US 2008299553A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
single nucleotide
oligonucleotide probes
nucleotide polymorphism
probes
erythrocyte
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US11/795,827
Other versions
US7811763B2 (en
Inventor
Francesca Poli
Francesca Drago
Maria Antonietta Villa
Alejandro Espadas De Arias
Loretta Crispiatico
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Assigned to FONDAZIONE IRCCS OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLICLINICO MANGIAGALLI E REGINA ELENA reassignment FONDAZIONE IRCCS OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLICLINICO MANGIAGALLI E REGINA ELENA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CRESPIATICO, LORETTA, DE ARIAS, ALEJANDRO ESPADAS, DRAGO, FRANCESCA, POLI, FRANCESCA, VILLA, MARIA ANTONIETTA
Publication of US20080299553A1 publication Critical patent/US20080299553A1/en
Assigned to FONDAZIONE IRCCS CA' GRANDA-OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLICLINICO reassignment FONDAZIONE IRCCS CA' GRANDA-OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLICLINICO CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ELENA, MANGIAGALLI REGINA, POLICLINICO, FONDAZIONE IRCCS OSPEDALE MAGGIORE
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US7811763B2 publication Critical patent/US7811763B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12QMEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
    • C12Q1/00Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
    • C12Q1/68Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions involving nucleic acids
    • C12Q1/6876Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes
    • C12Q1/6881Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes for tissue or cell typing, e.g. human leukocyte antigen [HLA] probes
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12QMEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
    • C12Q2600/00Oligonucleotides characterized by their use
    • C12Q2600/156Polymorphic or mutational markers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to specific oligonucleotide probes to be used in genomic typifying methods of erythrocyte systems and the relative diagnostic kits.
  • erythrocyte antigenic systems are traditionally effected with agglutination methods in liquid phase or solid phase using commercial polyclonal or monoclonal antiserums. This technique is simple, can be applied in all laboratories and has an appropriate sensitivity and specificity in clinical use for most cases.
  • Agglutination tests have various limitations mainly linked to the difficulty in evaluating the antigenic asset in some particularly risky conditions. These are mainly: a) the typifying of polytransfused immunized subjects; b) the identification of a fetus at the risk of hemolytic disease of newborn due to the presence of maternal antibodies; c) the determination of weak variants; d) the determination of zygosity for the RhD antigen; e) the determination of null phenotypes for erythrocyte antigens.
  • agglutination techniques implies high costs in the case of mass screening in order to find negative donors for high incidence erythrocyte antigens.
  • the availability of commercial typifying reagents is extremely limited or non-existent.
  • DNA-based techniques independence of reagents as the typifying serums are substituted by oligonucleotides which can be chemically synthesized at a low cost.
  • PCR-RFLP Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism
  • PCR-SSP Sequence-Specific-Primers
  • New methods have recently been developed for the study of twenty-eight of the twenty-nine erythrocyte systems whose sequence is known, such as, for example, PCR-ELISA (for RHD, RHCE, Kell, Duffy and Kidd antigenic systems), PCR real-time (for Kidd and Dombrock antigenic systems) and the micro-array technology.
  • the microspheres consist of synthetic polymers and are characterized by a different fluorescence intensity.
  • Various commercial sources of fluorescent microspheres are available such as Bangs Laboratories (Fishers, Ind.), Duke Scientific (Palo Alto, Calif.), Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex.), Polysciences (Warrington, Pa.), Seradyn (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Spherotech (Libertyville, Ill.) which offer microspheres with various dimensions and fluorescence characteristics.
  • Luminex Corporation produces 100 microspheres with different fluorescence intensities created by the incorporation of various ratios of two fluorochromes which emit at different wave-lengths and are measured by means of different detectors (Fulton R. J. et al., 1997).
  • a compact flow cytometer (Luminex 100) has been recently developed with two laser sources designed for the detection of microspheres and fluorescence quantification and an array of 100 coloured microspheres has been produced with fluoro-holes which emit at 658 and 712 nm after stimulation with a 635 nm red diode laser to complement the laser system of the cytometer. (Spain M. et al., 2001; Earley M C et al., 2002).
  • SNP single nucleotide polymorphisms
  • SNP also represent the molecular base of the polymorphisms of many antigenic systems such as, for example, the Kidd system, which is one of the main antigenic systems of human erythrocytes (Olives B. et al., 1997).
  • the Kidd erythrocyte system is defined by two specific alleles, Jk a and Jk b (Irshaid N M et al., 1998).
  • the polymorphism Jk a /Jk b consists in the substitution of a single nucleotide which determines an amino acidic substitution (Asp280Asn) at the level of the fourth extracellular loop of the Kidd glycoprotein.
  • Kidd locus (Jk a , Jk b allele), localized on the 18q11-q12 chromosome, encodes an integral membrane glycoprotein which carries the urea through the erythrocyte membrane and which is expressed at the level of the endothelial cells of the vasa recta in the kidney (Irshaid N M et al., 1998).
  • the hereditariness of Jk a and Jk b is codominant.
  • Kidd “null” phenotype (Jk(a ⁇ b ⁇ )), which derives from different genetic alterations (Irshaid N M, 200 ref. 15), which makes erythrocytes resistant to 2 M urea lysis (Sidoux-Walter F., 2000; Lucien N. et al., 1998; 2002; Irshaid N M, 2002 ref. 13).
  • Anti-Kidd antibodies often difficult to detect, represent a serious risk in the transfusion field. They have been involved in immediate hemolytic transfusions, serious and at times fatal, and in numerous delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions. These latter reactions can be serious and induce oligouria, renal problems which can sometimes lead to death. These specificities are often present together with others and have the characteristic of rapidly declining at low concentrations in the plasma and are therefore difficult to identify. It is estimated that about a third of delayed hemolytic reactions are caused by antibodies towards Kidd antigens.
  • the different frequency of the alleles of the Kidd gene in different populations can more easily lead to the production of specific antibodies if the donor and recipient belong to different ethnic groups.
  • oligonucleotide probes which, when suitable modified, once conjugated to a solid support, such as for example an array of fluorescent microspheres, can be advantageously used for genomic typifying.
  • the appropriate modification of the oligonucleotide probes is such as to allow their conjugation to the solid support.
  • the authors have developed a rapid and economic genomic erythrocyte typifying method and a relative diagnostic kit, which utilizes the probes according to the invention conjugated to fluorescent microspheres and which does not have the disadvantages of the known art.
  • the above method according to the invention is, in fact, based on a single amplification reaction followed by hybridization which makes it suitable for clinical typifying and also the typifying of populations.
  • a single person can handle up to a maximum of 96 samples in a single operating session and two sessions can be carried out in the same day.
  • the method according to the invention for each determination, there is a considerable saving in terms of reagent costs and time (10 times lower with respect to other standard methods such as PCR).
  • the method is particularly advantageous for the wide-scale typifying of blood samples as it facilitates the obtaining of typified or rare blood for alloimmunized patients and for subjects belonging to ethnic minorities.
  • oligonucleotide probes capable of hybridizing specifically with the Jk a and Jk b alleles. These probes have advantages in terms of specificity and efficiency in the hybridization process.
  • the advantageous characteristics of the oligonucleotide probes identified by the authors of the present invention are as follows: the central localization of the polymorphism; the difference between the probes of a single nucleotide; a balanced ratio between the number of guanine and cytosine bases and the number of thymine and adenine bases to avoid circularization phenomena and/or the formation of loops.
  • This method avails of the DNA target amplified via PCR by means of specific primers containing the SNP of the Kidd locus and the synthetic capture oligonucleotide probes according to the invention.
  • the method according to the present invention was tested and validated on 200 subjects demonstrating that the method is sound in its capacity of accurately revealing the Kidd SNP and is tolerant with respect to the quantity, quality and source of material to be typified.
  • An object of the present invention therefore relates to oligonucleotide probes amino-modified at the 5′ end characterized in that they have a sequence length ranging from 16 to 20 nucleotides, preferably 18 nucleotides, said sequence being characterized in that it comprises in the centre, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific for the alleles belonging to a gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying and hybridizing with said polymorphic alleles.
  • SNP single nucleotide polymorphism
  • the above gene is selected from the group which consists of the following erythrocyte systems: Kidd (JK), Rh, MNS, Duffy (FY), Kell (KEL), Lutheran (LU), Diego (DI), YT, XG, Scianna (SC), Dombrock (DO), Colton (CO), Landsteiner-Wiener (LW), Hh (H), Gerbich (GE), Cromer (CROM), Indian (IN), John Milton Hagen (JMH) and Ii (I).
  • the gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying is the Kidd gene and the amino-modified oligonucleotide probes (AmC12 modification at the 5′ end) have the following sequences:
  • the probe a) is specific for the Jka allele of the Kidd gene, whereas the probe b) is specific for the JKb allele.
  • the probes according to the present invention can be conjugated with a microparticle or set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance.
  • the probes are preferably conjugated with a specific microsphere of the set supplied by Luminex Corporation.
  • the genomic erythrocyte typifying preferably takes place by means of multiplex analysis with the Luminex LabMAP technique.
  • a further object of the present invention relates to microparticles, preferably microspheres, marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above.
  • the fluorescent microspheres used are preferably those of Luminex.
  • Another object of the present invention relates to the use of the oligonucleotide probes defined above for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals.
  • the genomic erythrocyte typifying relates to an erythrocyte system which can be selected from the group consisting of JK, Rh, MNS FY, KEL, LU, DI, YT, XG, SC, DO, CO, LW, H, GE, CROM, IN, JMH and I.
  • the present invention also relates to microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above.
  • Yet another object of the present invention relates to a method for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following phases:
  • the single nucleotide polymorphism is the polymorphism of the Kidd blood group.
  • the primers of phase b) preferably have the following sequences:
  • oligonucleotide probes of phase c have the following sequences:
  • AmC12 indicates the amino-modified 5′ end followed by a chain with 12 carbon atoms as spacer element at the 5′ end and the bases in bold type indicate the single nucleotide polymorphism.
  • the present invention also relates to a diagnostic kit for the genomic erythrocyte typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following components:
  • the single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group is Kidd.
  • the primers of phase a) of the kit according to the invention have the following sequences:
  • oligonucleotide probes of phase b have the following sequences:
  • the polystyrene microspheres COOH Xmap Multi-Analyte were purchased from Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex., USA).
  • microspheres (5.6 ⁇ m in diameter) have functional carboxylic surface groups for the chemical cross-link with different analytes which, for the purposes of the present invention, are oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes amino-modified (AmC12) at the 5′ end.
  • the polystyrene microspheres were classified by flow cytometry thanks to the emission profile in the orange/red wave-length of each set of microspheres.
  • 100 microspheres can be detected as each set incorporates colouring substances in an accurate ratio between each other which emit at different wave-lengths (red and infrared) allowing them to be distinguished.
  • Each distinct set of microspheres in fact, has exclusive marking characteristics and its own fluorescence intensity distribution which can be analyzed by the detection instrument.
  • regions Nr. 64, 76, 72 and 73 were used. All the different sets of spheres numbered from 1 to 100 derive from the same starting material and differ only in the quantities of marking dyes present for the classification. The selection of the regions used was effected following the indications of the producer.
  • 2-N-morpholine ethanesulfonic acid MES
  • 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodi-imide hydrochloride EDC
  • SAPE 100 ⁇ stock 0.5 mg/ml Streptavidine-phycoerythrin
  • SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate
  • TMAC tetramethyl ammonium chloride
  • SSPE-Triton X-100 Sigma were purchased from Bio-RAD and Sigma, respectively.
  • the probes used are 18 nucleotides long and were designed on the basis of the sequences filed having the filing numbers GeneBankAccession L36121 and PUBMED 7989337:
  • the positive control probe was designed on the basis of the sequence filed having the following filing numbers: GeneBankAccession AF046026 and PUBMED 9734652.
  • the amplification was effected of the intron of 217 base pairs localized in the JK gene in nucleotide position 811-812.
  • the intronic sequences are identical in all the samples regardless of the phenotype.
  • the negative control was designed by introducing random variations in the sequence of the specific probe for Jka.
  • Biotinylated oligonucleotides were used, complementary to the alleles Jk a , Jk b , and to the controls for testing the conjugation efficiency of the oligonucleotide probes in turn modified at 5′ with biotin.
  • the fluorescent reagents were added and mixed to form a cocktail for multiplex analyses.
  • the four different oligonucleotide probes modified at 5′ (AmC12) were conjugated in separate reactions with different classifications of carboxylated microspheres.
  • Each probe and set of carboxylated microspheres containing 7.5 ⁇ 10 6 microspheres were micro-centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 2 minutes, the pellet was removed and resuspended in 75 ⁇ l of MES 0.1 M buffer, at pH 4.5. 0.3 nanomoles of amino-modified oligonucleotide probes were subsequently added to the mixture.
  • EDC 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodi-imide HCl
  • the washing solution was removed by micro-centrifugation, the washing was repeated with 1.5 ml of SDS at 0.1% and the final mixture was resuspended in 100 ⁇ l of TE, at pH 8 and kept in the dark at 4° C. Before use, the spheres were brought to room temperature for 5 minutes.
  • the conjugation efficiency was tested by hybridizing the conjugated microspheres with a molar excess of complementary biotinylated oligonucleotide (from 5 to 200 fentomoles) at a hybridization temperature of 45° C. Effective conjugation reactions produce microspheres with an average fluorescence intensity (MFI) ranging from 9000 to 15000.
  • MFI average fluorescence intensity
  • the amplification comprises a segment of 380 bp which includes the polymorphism Jk in the nucleotide position 844 and the intronic region of 217 base pairs (bp) localized between the nucleotides 811-812.
  • JK-781-F3 forward) 5′-(BioTEG)-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA T-3′ JK-943-R3 (reverse) 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′.
  • the Forward primer was marked at the 5′ end with biotin.
  • the PCR was effected with 1.2 pmol of primer, 50-100 ng of genomic DNA, 2 nmol of dNTPs and 0.5 U of Taq (Perkin Elmer), in the buffer supplied.
  • the final reaction volume is equal to 20 ⁇ l.
  • the PCRGene Amp 9600 system (Perkin Elmer Cetus) was used for the thermal cycles under the following operating conditions per cycle: 10 minutes of initial denaturation of the DNA at 96° C., followed by 35 cycles at 94° C. for 30 seconds, 58° C. for 40 seconds, 72° C. for 40 seconds, with a final elongation phase at 72° C. for 2 minutes.
  • the DNA fragments obtained have a length equal to 380 base pairs and were analyzed and verified by electrophoresis on agarose gel at 2%.
  • the washing phases were carried out at room temperature by means of centrifugation (2,800 rpm for 5 minutes) with the elimination of the supernatant using a vacuum micropump. The samples were washed three times.
  • the spheres were incubated for 5 minutes at 45° C. with 50 ⁇ l of a fresh solution of 1 ⁇ SAPE (0.5 mg/l streptavidine-R-phycoerythrin) in 1 ⁇ TMAC (TMAC 3M, SDS 0.11, Tris-HCl 50 mM, pH 8, EDTA 4 mM pH 8).
  • 1 ⁇ SAPE 0.5 mg/l streptavidine-R-phycoerythrin
  • 1 ⁇ TMAC TMAC 3M, SDS 0.11, Tris-HCl 50 mM, pH 8, EDTA 4 mM pH 8
  • 100 ⁇ l of washing buffer were rapidly added to each cavity, the spheres were then pelletized by centrifugation and the supernatant removed.
  • Each sample was subsequently resuspended in 80 ⁇ l of washing buffer (Sheath Fluid supplied by Luminex Corporation). In order to have better results, it is better to read the samples as soon as possible. If the plate cannot be read immediately, the samples can be preserved at
  • the samples were analyzed using a LAB ScanTM100 (Luminex Corporation, Austin, Tex.).
  • the instrument is equipped with two laser sources of which a 635 nm diode laser to stimulate the fluorochromes classified in red and infrared and a 532 laser to stimulate the orange phycoerythrin (PE) reporter fluorochrome.
  • a 635 nm diode laser to stimulate the fluorochromes classified in red and infrared
  • a 532 laser to stimulate the orange phycoerythrin (PE) reporter fluorochrome.
  • Each set of spheres has a single fluorescence intensity distribution which can be read from the instrument.
  • the count should be higher than 100.
  • the fluoresence intensity (IF) represents a PE signal revealed inside the spheres counted.
  • the IF for the positive control probe indicates the optimum sample quantity and/or quality and the correct activation of all the hybridization phases.
  • the acquisition for each single sample should normally be completed in less than a minute.
  • the fluorescence intensity (MFI—median fluorescence intensity) generated by the Luminex software represents the MFI of each microsphere (or probe linked to the microsphere) for each sample.
  • the positive percentage value for each specific probe is calculated as the ratio between the MFI value of the Jka or Jkb probe and the MFI value of the positive control probe multiplied by 100 according to the following formula:
  • Positive value % 100 ⁇ FI ( n . probe) ⁇ FI (negative control probe)/ FI (positive control probe) ⁇ FI (negative control probe)
  • the MFI values are used in the formula, from each of which the MFI value generated from the negative control probe for each sample is subtracted.
  • the positive reaction is defined as the percentage of positive values for the probe higher than the pre-established cutoff value for the probe itself, the negative reaction as the percentage of positive values lower than the cutoff value.
  • the MFI value of the positive control corrected by the negative control value (MFI positive control probe-MFI negative control probe) proves to have an average MFI having a value of 685.5 with a standard deviation of 179.79.
  • the cutoff value was pre-established for each probe (Jka and Jkb) using a panel of 200 known serological typifying samples of which 100 samples with a heterozygote asset Jk(a+b+) and 50 samples with a homozygote asset, respectively, for each allele.
  • the cutoff value for each allele was obtained from the difference in the lowest percentage value (calculated as described above) obtained in positive samples for the allele considered and the highest percentage value obtained in negative samples for the allele considered.
  • the half value thus obtained represents the percentage value which defines the reference cutoff for the two alleles considered Jka and Jkb.
  • the cutoff value for the probe Jka proves to be equal to 10%; the lowest percentage value in positive samples for the allele Jka (see table 1) proves to be equal to 29.5%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 3) proves to be equal to 9.8%;
  • the cutoff value for the probe Jkb proves to be equal to 33%; the lowest percentage value (V %) in positive samples for the allele Jk b (see table 1) proves to be equal to 95.1%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 2) proves to be equal to 29.9%

Abstract

The invention relates to oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, relative methods and diagnostic kits.

Description

  • The present invention relates to specific oligonucleotide probes to be used in genomic typifying methods of erythrocyte systems and the relative diagnostic kits.
  • The typifying of erythrocyte antigenic systems is traditionally effected with agglutination methods in liquid phase or solid phase using commercial polyclonal or monoclonal antiserums. This technique is simple, can be applied in all laboratories and has an appropriate sensitivity and specificity in clinical use for most cases.
  • Agglutination tests, however, have various limitations mainly linked to the difficulty in evaluating the antigenic asset in some particularly risky conditions. These are mainly: a) the typifying of polytransfused immunized subjects; b) the identification of a fetus at the risk of hemolytic disease of newborn due to the presence of maternal antibodies; c) the determination of weak variants; d) the determination of zygosity for the RhD antigen; e) the determination of null phenotypes for erythrocyte antigens.
  • Furthermore, the use of agglutination techniques implies high costs in the case of mass screening in order to find negative donors for high incidence erythrocyte antigens. For some of these systems, the availability of commercial typifying reagents is extremely limited or non-existent.
  • One of the main advantages of DNA-based techniques is independence of reagents as the typifying serums are substituted by oligonucleotides which can be chemically synthesized at a low cost.
  • For this reason, various techniques based on DNA analysis have been developed for the typifying of erythrocyte systems on a molecular scale.
  • In particular, for the genotyping of erythrocyte antigenic systems, the most common techniques used in immunohematology are PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) and PCR-SSP (Sequence-Specific-Primers). New methods have recently been developed for the study of twenty-eight of the twenty-nine erythrocyte systems whose sequence is known, such as, for example, PCR-ELISA (for RHD, RHCE, Kell, Duffy and Kidd antigenic systems), PCR real-time (for Kidd and Dombrock antigenic systems) and the micro-array technology. Although this development provides a fundamental support in immunohematology laboratories and in the field of transfusion medicine, most of the techniques currently available are unsuitable for wide-scale analysis, are relatively slow and require sophisticated and costly equipment.
  • Present-day new technologies appear to be aiming at automation and simplification and new instruments are modified to accelerate the process and maximize data production.
  • This latter concept is descriptive of multiplex flow cytometry dosages based on microspheres. By the conjugation of various purified Ag or oligonucleotide probes with distinct sets of fluorescent microspheres, extremely efficient analysis systems can be obtained, which allow numerous analytes to be taken from a single sample. The quantification exploits the multiparametric resolutive potential of flow cytometry and the capacity of processing systems of digital signals which process the thousands of fluorescent signals generated by the microspheres (Kellar, K.L., 2002; Kettman J R et al. 1998).
  • The microspheres consist of synthetic polymers and are characterized by a different fluorescence intensity. Various commercial sources of fluorescent microspheres are available such as Bangs Laboratories (Fishers, Ind.), Duke Scientific (Palo Alto, Calif.), Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex.), Polysciences (Warrington, Pa.), Seradyn (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Spherotech (Libertyville, Ill.) which offer microspheres with various dimensions and fluorescence characteristics.
  • Luminex Corporation, for example, produces 100 microspheres with different fluorescence intensities created by the incorporation of various ratios of two fluorochromes which emit at different wave-lengths and are measured by means of different detectors (Fulton R. J. et al., 1997). A compact flow cytometer (Luminex 100) has been recently developed with two laser sources designed for the detection of microspheres and fluorescence quantification and an array of 100 coloured microspheres has been produced with fluoro-holes which emit at 658 and 712 nm after stimulation with a 635 nm red diode laser to complement the laser system of the cytometer. (Spain M. et al., 2001; Earley M C et al., 2002). This Multiple Analyte Profiling system (LabMAP™) has been used for the multiplex analysis of various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (Ye F. et al., 2001; Colinas R J et al., 2000; Dunbar S A et al., 2000). SNP are the most abundant variability source in the human genome and are consequently important for identifying the specific loci of particular pathologies or susceptibility of a person towards a particular disease or pharmacological therapy (Kellar K.L., 2003).
  • SNP also represent the molecular base of the polymorphisms of many antigenic systems such as, for example, the Kidd system, which is one of the main antigenic systems of human erythrocytes (Olives B. et al., 1997).
  • The Kidd erythrocyte system is defined by two specific alleles, Jka and Jkb (Irshaid N M et al., 1998). The polymorphism Jka/Jkb consists in the substitution of a single nucleotide which determines an amino acidic substitution (Asp280Asn) at the level of the fourth extracellular loop of the Kidd glycoprotein. The Kidd locus (Jka, Jkb allele), localized on the 18q11-q12 chromosome, encodes an integral membrane glycoprotein which carries the urea through the erythrocyte membrane and which is expressed at the level of the endothelial cells of the vasa recta in the kidney (Irshaid N M et al., 1998). The hereditariness of Jka and Jkb is codominant. There is also a Kidd “null” phenotype (Jk(a−b−)), which derives from different genetic alterations (Irshaid N M, 200 ref. 15), which makes erythrocytes resistant to 2 M urea lysis (Sidoux-Walter F., 2000; Lucien N. et al., 1998; 2002; Irshaid N M, 2002 ref. 13).
  • Anti-Kidd antibodies, often difficult to detect, represent a serious risk in the transfusion field. They have been involved in immediate hemolytic transfusions, serious and at times fatal, and in numerous delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions. These latter reactions can be serious and induce oligouria, renal problems which can sometimes lead to death. These specificities are often present together with others and have the characteristic of rapidly declining at low concentrations in the plasma and are therefore difficult to identify. It is estimated that about a third of delayed hemolytic reactions are caused by antibodies towards Kidd antigens.
  • Finally, the different frequency of the alleles of the Kidd gene in different populations can more easily lead to the production of specific antibodies if the donor and recipient belong to different ethnic groups.
  • When compatible donors are necessary for subjects with antibodies, the determination of the JK phenotype by means of serological methods becomes determinant in blood donors.
  • In view of what is specified above, there is an evident demand for new biotechnological instruments for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems which overcome the limits of the techniques currently adopted.
  • The authors of the present invention have now identified specific oligonucleotide probes which, when suitable modified, once conjugated to a solid support, such as for example an array of fluorescent microspheres, can be advantageously used for genomic typifying. The appropriate modification of the oligonucleotide probes is such as to allow their conjugation to the solid support.
  • In particular, the authors have developed a rapid and economic genomic erythrocyte typifying method and a relative diagnostic kit, which utilizes the probes according to the invention conjugated to fluorescent microspheres and which does not have the disadvantages of the known art.
  • The above method according to the invention is, in fact, based on a single amplification reaction followed by hybridization which makes it suitable for clinical typifying and also the typifying of populations. A single person can handle up to a maximum of 96 samples in a single operating session and two sessions can be carried out in the same day. By using the method according to the invention, for each determination, there is a considerable saving in terms of reagent costs and time (10 times lower with respect to other standard methods such as PCR).
  • From an applicative point of view, the method is particularly advantageous for the wide-scale typifying of blood samples as it facilitates the obtaining of typified or rare blood for alloimmunized patients and for subjects belonging to ethnic minorities.
  • More particularly, during the present study, after identifying the Kidd polymorphism at the level of the Jka and Jkb alleles, the authors designed oligonucleotide probes capable of hybridizing specifically with the Jka and Jkb alleles. These probes have advantages in terms of specificity and efficiency in the hybridization process.
  • The advantageous characteristics of the oligonucleotide probes identified by the authors of the present invention are as follows: the central localization of the polymorphism; the difference between the probes of a single nucleotide; a balanced ratio between the number of guanine and cytosine bases and the number of thymine and adenine bases to avoid circularization phenomena and/or the formation of loops.
  • The authors then developed and tested a rapid, accurate and efficient method for the determination of the polymorphism relating to the Kidd erythrocyte system. This method avails of the DNA target amplified via PCR by means of specific primers containing the SNP of the Kidd locus and the synthetic capture oligonucleotide probes according to the invention. The method according to the present invention was tested and validated on 200 subjects demonstrating that the method is sound in its capacity of accurately revealing the Kidd SNP and is tolerant with respect to the quantity, quality and source of material to be typified.
  • An object of the present invention therefore relates to oligonucleotide probes amino-modified at the 5′ end characterized in that they have a sequence length ranging from 16 to 20 nucleotides, preferably 18 nucleotides, said sequence being characterized in that it comprises in the centre, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific for the alleles belonging to a gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying and hybridizing with said polymorphic alleles. The above gene is selected from the group which consists of the following erythrocyte systems: Kidd (JK), Rh, MNS, Duffy (FY), Kell (KEL), Lutheran (LU), Diego (DI), YT, XG, Scianna (SC), Dombrock (DO), Colton (CO), Landsteiner-Wiener (LW), Hh (H), Gerbich (GE), Cromer (CROM), Indian (IN), John Milton Hagen (JMH) and Ii (I).
  • In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying is the Kidd gene and the amino-modified oligonucleotide probes (AmC12 modification at the 5′ end) have the following sequences:
  • a) 5′-AmAGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′
    b) 5′-AmAGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′

    and the sequences complementary thereto.
  • More specifically, the probe a) is specific for the Jka allele of the Kidd gene, whereas the probe b) is specific for the JKb allele. The probes according to the present invention can be conjugated with a microparticle or set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance. The probes are preferably conjugated with a specific microsphere of the set supplied by Luminex Corporation. The genomic erythrocyte typifying preferably takes place by means of multiplex analysis with the Luminex LabMAP technique.
  • A further object of the present invention relates to microparticles, preferably microspheres, marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above. The fluorescent microspheres used are preferably those of Luminex.
  • Another object of the present invention relates to the use of the oligonucleotide probes defined above for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals. The genomic erythrocyte typifying relates to an erythrocyte system which can be selected from the group consisting of JK, Rh, MNS FY, KEL, LU, DI, YT, XG, SC, DO, CO, LW, H, GE, CROM, IN, JMH and I.
  • The present invention also relates to microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above.
  • Yet another object of the present invention relates to a method for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following phases:
  • a) extraction of the DNA from a biological sample;
    b) amplification via PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system to be analyzed by means of specific primers of which at least one is marked in 5′ with biotin to obtain biotinylated PCR products (the biotinylation is preferably effected only at the level of the primer forward);
    c) conjugation of the oligonucleotide probes as defined above with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, the fluorescent microparticles are preferably of Luminex Corporation;
    d) hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products of phase b) with the conjugated products of phase c) and detection with the addition of streptavidine-phycoerythrin;
    e) detection of the fluorescence preferably by means of the LabMAP™ system.
  • In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the single nucleotide polymorphism is the polymorphism of the Kidd blood group. The primers of phase b) preferably have the following sequences:
  • i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′
    (preferably with BioTeg biotinylation at the
    5′-end)
    ii) Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′;

    and the oligonucleotide probes of phase c) have the following sequences:
  • iii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′;
    iv) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′;

    or the sequences complementary thereto. AmC12 indicates the amino-modified 5′ end followed by a chain with 12 carbon atoms as spacer element at the 5′ end and the bases in bold type indicate the single nucleotide polymorphism.
  • The present invention also relates to a diagnostic kit for the genomic erythrocyte typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following components:
  • a) a set of primers for amplification by PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system;
    b) oligonucleotide probes as defined above, conjugated with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, said probes being capable of hybridizing with said single nucleotide polymorphism.
  • In a preferred embodiment of the kit according to the invention, the single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group is Kidd. In this specific case, the primers of phase a) of the kit according to the invention have the following sequences:
  • i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′
    (preferably with BioTeg biotinylation at the
    5′-end)
    ii) Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′;

    and the oligonucleotide probes of phase b) have the following sequences:
  • iii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′;
    iv) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′;

    or the sequences complementary thereto.
  • The present invention will now be described for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, according to its preferred embodiment, with particular reference to the enclosed tables.
  • EXAMPLE 1 Genomic Typifying of the Kidd Erythrocyte System by Means of the Luminex System with Allele-Specific Oligonucleotide Probes Conjugated with an Array of Fluorescence Microspheres Materials and Methods Blood Samples
  • 7 ml of peripheral blood of 200 healthy donors coming from the Blood Collection Centre of the Milan Polyclinic were collected in test-tubes containing a solution of EDTA as anticoagulant. The samples are preserved at −20° C. until the moment of treatment. Aliquots of 200 μl of whole blood were used for DNA extraction with a DNA purification kit (QIAamp, Qiagen, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), according to the instructions of the producer. All the samples had a known serological typifying effected using standard agglutination methods for both of the antigens. The following known blood samples were tested: 50 samples Jk(a+b−); 50 samples Jk(a−b+) and 100 samples Jk(a+b+).
  • Reagents
  • The polystyrene microspheres COOH Xmap Multi-Analyte were purchased from Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex., USA).
  • The microspheres (5.6 μm in diameter) have functional carboxylic surface groups for the chemical cross-link with different analytes which, for the purposes of the present invention, are oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes amino-modified (AmC12) at the 5′ end.
  • The polystyrene microspheres were classified by flow cytometry thanks to the emission profile in the orange/red wave-length of each set of microspheres.
  • 100 microspheres can be detected as each set incorporates colouring substances in an accurate ratio between each other which emit at different wave-lengths (red and infrared) allowing them to be distinguished. Each distinct set of microspheres, in fact, has exclusive marking characteristics and its own fluorescence intensity distribution which can be analyzed by the detection instrument. In this study, regions Nr. 64, 76, 72 and 73 were used. All the different sets of spheres numbered from 1 to 100 derive from the same starting material and differ only in the quantities of marking dyes present for the classification. The selection of the regions used was effected following the indications of the producer.
  • 2-N-morpholine ethanesulfonic acid (MES), 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodi-imide hydrochloride (EDC), SAPE (100× stock 0.5 mg/ml Streptavidine-phycoerythrin) were obtained from Sigma, Pierce and One Lambda, Inc. respectively. The SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and tetramethyl ammonium chloride (TMAC) and the washing buffer (SSPE-Triton X-100 Sigma) were purchased from Bio-RAD and Sigma, respectively.
  • Probe Design
  • All the oligonucleotides used for the covalent association with the microspheres were modified at the 5′ end during the synthesis, using Amino-Modifier (AmC12-Qiagen Operon-Germania). The polymorphism of the groups Jka and Jkb is localized at the centre of the probe sequence.
  • The probes used are 18 nucleotides long and were designed on the basis of the sequences filed having the filing numbers GeneBankAccession L36121 and PUBMED 7989337:
  • Probe Jka,
    5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′
    Probe Jkb,
    5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′
    Positive control probe (CP),
    5′-AmC12AGG AAG CCA AGA TCT CAA-3′;

    Non-sense probe (NS), 5′-AmC12CGT GGA TTT CTT CAG AGG-3′;
  • The positive control probe (CP) was designed on the basis of the sequence filed having the following filing numbers: GeneBankAccession AF046026 and PUBMED 9734652. The amplification was effected of the intron of 217 base pairs localized in the JK gene in nucleotide position 811-812. The intronic sequences are identical in all the samples regardless of the phenotype.
  • The negative control was designed by introducing random variations in the sequence of the specific probe for Jka.
  • Biotinylated oligonucleotides (ODN) were used, complementary to the alleles Jka, Jkb, and to the controls for testing the conjugation efficiency of the oligonucleotide probes in turn modified at 5′ with biotin. The fluorescent reagents were added and mixed to form a cocktail for multiplex analyses.
  • Conjugation of Oligonucleotide Probes with Microspheres
  • The four different oligonucleotide probes modified at 5′ (AmC12) were conjugated in separate reactions with different classifications of carboxylated microspheres.
  • Each probe and set of carboxylated microspheres containing 7.5×106 microspheres were micro-centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 2 minutes, the pellet was removed and resuspended in 75 μl of MES 0.1 M buffer, at pH 4.5. 0.3 nanomoles of amino-modified oligonucleotide probes were subsequently added to the mixture.
  • An aqueous solution of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodi-imide HCl (EDC; 10 mg/ml) was then added to the mixture of microspheres/oligonucleotides and the resulting mixture was incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes in the dark. The addition of EDC and the incubation were repeated another time. After the total incubation of 1 hour, the microspheres were washed with 1.5 ml of Tween-20 at 0.02%. The washing solution was removed by micro-centrifugation, the washing was repeated with 1.5 ml of SDS at 0.1% and the final mixture was resuspended in 100 μl of TE, at pH 8 and kept in the dark at 4° C. Before use, the spheres were brought to room temperature for 5 minutes.
  • The conjugation efficiency was tested by hybridizing the conjugated microspheres with a molar excess of complementary biotinylated oligonucleotide (from 5 to 200 fentomoles) at a hybridization temperature of 45° C. Effective conjugation reactions produce microspheres with an average fluorescence intensity (MFI) ranging from 9000 to 15000.
  • PCR Amplification
  • The amplification comprises a segment of 380 bp which includes the polymorphism Jk in the nucleotide position 844 and the intronic region of 217 base pairs (bp) localized between the nucleotides 811-812.
  • The following primers were used for the PCR amplification, according to the instructions of the protocol described by Nidal M. Irshaid et al. (ref. 11 British Journal of Haematology 1998 102, 1010-1014), with modifications:
  • JK-781-F3 (forward)
    5′-(BioTEG)-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA T-3′
    JK-943-R3 (reverse)
    5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′.
  • The Forward primer was marked at the 5′ end with biotin.
  • The PCR was effected with 1.2 pmol of primer, 50-100 ng of genomic DNA, 2 nmol of dNTPs and 0.5 U of Taq (Perkin Elmer), in the buffer supplied. The final reaction volume is equal to 20 μl.
  • The PCRGene Amp 9600 system (Perkin Elmer Cetus) was used for the thermal cycles under the following operating conditions per cycle: 10 minutes of initial denaturation of the DNA at 96° C., followed by 35 cycles at 94° C. for 30 seconds, 58° C. for 40 seconds, 72° C. for 40 seconds, with a final elongation phase at 72° C. for 2 minutes. The DNA fragments obtained have a length equal to 380 base pairs and were analyzed and verified by electrophoresis on agarose gel at 2%.
  • Hybridization
  • After the PCR amplification, 4 μl of each reaction were transferred to micro-titration plates with 96 cavities and diluted with 17 μl of TE and denatured under heat at 99° C. for 10 minutes in a preheated Thermal Cycler. The denaturation phase was blocked with a lump of ice. The hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products with the four classifications of spheres conjugated with ODN, was effected in a buffer containing tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC) (TMAC 1.5×4.5 M, SDS 0.15%, Tris-HCl 75 mM pH 8, EDTA 6 mM ph 8).
  • 33 μl of a hybridization solution containing a mixture of 5,000 spheres of each set conjugated with the probe in a total reaction volume of 50 μl, were added to each sample. The samples were mixed and immediately transferred to the amplifier plate preheated to 45° C. The hybridization was carried out at 45° C. for 15 minutes and the samples were diluted to 150 μl with 100 μl of washing buffer (6×SSPET).
  • The washing phases were carried out at room temperature by means of centrifugation (2,800 rpm for 5 minutes) with the elimination of the supernatant using a vacuum micropump. The samples were washed three times.
  • The spheres were incubated for 5 minutes at 45° C. with 50 μl of a fresh solution of 1×SAPE (0.5 mg/l streptavidine-R-phycoerythrin) in 1×TMAC (TMAC 3M, SDS 0.11, Tris-HCl 50 mM, pH 8, EDTA 4 mM pH 8). At the end of the incubation, 100 μl of washing buffer were rapidly added to each cavity, the spheres were then pelletized by centrifugation and the supernatant removed. Each sample was subsequently resuspended in 80 μl of washing buffer (Sheath Fluid supplied by Luminex Corporation). In order to have better results, it is better to read the samples as soon as possible. If the plate cannot be read immediately, the samples can be preserved at 4° C. in the dark for up to a maximum of 24 hours.
  • Data Acquisition and Analysis
  • The samples were analyzed using a LAB Scan™100 (Luminex Corporation, Austin, Tex.).
  • The instrument is equipped with two laser sources of which a 635 nm diode laser to stimulate the fluorochromes classified in red and infrared and a 532 laser to stimulate the orange phycoerythrin (PE) reporter fluorochrome.
  • Each set of spheres has a single fluorescence intensity distribution which can be read from the instrument.
  • Two parameters, the fluorescence count and intensity (IF) were monitored for each data acquisition.
  • The count should be higher than 100. The fluoresence intensity (IF) represents a PE signal revealed inside the spheres counted. The IF for the positive control probe indicates the optimum sample quantity and/or quality and the correct activation of all the hybridization phases.
  • The acquisition for each single sample should normally be completed in less than a minute.
  • Data Calculation
  • The fluorescence intensity (MFI—median fluorescence intensity) generated by the Luminex software represents the MFI of each microsphere (or probe linked to the microsphere) for each sample. The positive percentage value for each specific probe is calculated as the ratio between the MFI value of the Jka or Jkb probe and the MFI value of the positive control probe multiplied by 100 according to the following formula:

  • Positive value %=100×FI (n. probe)−FI (negative control probe)/FI (positive control probe)−FI (negative control probe)
  • The MFI values are used in the formula, from each of which the MFI value generated from the negative control probe for each sample is subtracted.
  • The positive reaction is defined as the percentage of positive values for the probe higher than the pre-established cutoff value for the probe itself, the negative reaction as the percentage of positive values lower than the cutoff value.
  • Positive Control
  • From the data analysis of 200 samples tested, the MFI value of the positive control, corrected by the negative control value (MFI positive control probe-MFI negative control probe) proves to have an average MFI having a value of 685.5 with a standard deviation of 179.79.
  • Samples having a positive control fluorescence signal (MFI) which is higher or equal to a value of 506, are considered reliable.
  • Cutoff Value
  • The cutoff value was pre-established for each probe (Jka and Jkb) using a panel of 200 known serological typifying samples of which 100 samples with a heterozygote asset Jk(a+b+) and 50 samples with a homozygote asset, respectively, for each allele.
  • The cutoff value for each allele was obtained from the difference in the lowest percentage value (calculated as described above) obtained in positive samples for the allele considered and the highest percentage value obtained in negative samples for the allele considered. The half value thus obtained represents the percentage value which defines the reference cutoff for the two alleles considered Jka and Jkb.
  • The following cutoff values were obtained from the data analysis (see tables 1, 2 and 3 enclosed):
  • the cutoff value for the probe Jka proves to be equal to 10%; the lowest percentage value in positive samples for the allele Jka (see table 1) proves to be equal to 29.5%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 3) proves to be equal to 9.8%;
  • the cutoff value for the probe Jkb proves to be equal to 33%; the lowest percentage value (V %) in positive samples for the allele Jkb(see table 1) proves to be equal to 95.1%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 2) proves to be equal to 29.9%
  • TABLE 1
    Heterozygote samples Jk (a+ b+)
    MFI MFI MFI V % V %
    probe probe probe probe probe
    Nr. Jka Jkb CP CN Jka Jkb
    1 348 330 942.5 924.5 785.5 767.5 18 43.0 120.5
    2 368 352 904 888 704 688 16 51.2 129.1
    3 325 295.5 737 707.5 625 595.5 29.5 49.6 118.8
    4 364.5 330.5 866.5 832.5 712.5 678.5 34 48.7 122.7
    5 356 334.5 953 931.5 765.5 744 21.5 45.0 125.2
    6 337 324 855.5 842.5 707.5 694.5 13 46.7 121.3
    7 417 346 988.5 917.5 794 723 71 47.9 126.9
    8 368.5 349.5 892 873 711.5 692.5 19 50.5 126.1
    9 211 162 563 514 389 340 49 47.6 151.2
    10 528 517 1266 1255 1039 1028 11 50.3 122.1
    11 424 367 1004 947 827 770 57 47.7 123.0
    12 217.5 159.5 358.5 300.5 301 243 58 65.6 123.7
    13 176 125 446 395 285 234 51 53.4 168.8
    14 244.5 185.5 624 565 505 446 59 41.6 126.7
    15 402.5 341.5 979.5 918.5 744 683 61 50.0 134.5
    16 367 320 961.5 914.5 712 665 47 48.1 137.5
    17 381.5 313 1148 1079.5 1130 1061.5 68.5 29.5 101.7
    18 337 289.5 837.5 790 727.5 680 47.5 42.6 116.2
    19 425 331.5 838.5 745 790 696.5 93.5 47.6 107.0
    20 353.5 284.5 805 736 747 678 69 42.0 108.6
    21 441 399 864.5 822.5 633.5 591.5 42 67.5 139.1
    22 356 305 886 835 713.5 662.5 51 46.0 126.0
    23 322 291 877 846 776 745 31 39.1 113.6
    24 340 301 876.5 837.5 753.5 714.5 39 42.1 117.2
    25 350.5 309 852 810.5 692 650.5 41.5 47.5 124.6
    26 348 319 856.5 827.5 724 695 29 45.9 119.1
    27 318 270 796 748 567.5 519.5 48 52.0 144.0
    28 408 319 897 808 798 709 89 45.0 114.0
    29 388 350 891.5 853.5 627 589 38 59.4 144.9
    30 256 211 618.5 573.5 580 535 45 39.4 107.2
    31 404 341 898.5 835.5 752 689 63 49.5 121.3
    32 408.5 354.5 808.5 754.5 558 504 54 70.3 149.7
    33 409 363 972.5 926.5 785 739 46 49.1 125.4
    34 448.5 410 893 854.5 641 602.5 38.5 68.0 141.8
    35 524.5 446.5 1044.5 966.5 832.5 754.5 78 59.2 128.1
    36 582.5 494.5 1291 1203 1089 1001 88 49.4 120.2
    37 654.5 571.5 1395 1312 1073 990 83 57.7 132.5
    38 581 518 1219 1156 1036 973 63 53.2 118.8
    39 659 548 1317.5 1206.5 1047 936 111 58.5 128.9
    40 526.5 410.5 1009.5 893.5 958 842 116 48.8 106.1
    41 588 506 1185.5 1103.5 985 903 82 56.0 122.2
    42 520 428 1015 923 1002 910 92 47.0 101.4
    43 644 523 1383 1262 1257 1136 121 46.0 111.1
    44 393 271.5 1190 1068.5 1000 878.5 121.5 30.9 121.6
    45 597 431 1175 1009 951 785 166 54.9 128.5
    46 682 526 1056 900 918 762 156 69.0 118.1
    47 553 457 1176 1080 953 857 96 53.3 126.0
    48 519 370.5 1191 1042.5 937 788.5 148.5 47.0 132.2
    49 492 398 947 853 835 741 94 53.7 115.1
    50 593 497.5 1254 1158.5 1110 1014.5 95.5 49.0 114.2
    51 563 503 1167 1107 980.5 920.5 60 54.6 120.3
    52 565 505 1155 1095 1011.5 951.5 60 53.1 115.1
    53 375 284.5 854.5 764 666 575.5 90.5 49.4 132.8
    54 395 281 935.5 821.5 759 645 114 43.6 127.4
    55 397 296.5 916.5 816 710 609.5 100.5 48.6 133.9
    56 330.5 265.5 807 742 697 632 65 42.0 117.4
    57 341 265 839 763 679 603 76 43.9 126.5
    58 338.5 311.5 828.5 801.5 658 631 27 49.4 127.0
    59 631 387.5 1045 801.5 769 525.5 243.5 73.7 152.5
    60 392 260.5 805.5 674 661 529.5 131.5 49.2 127.3
    61 368 226.5 832.5 691 653 511.5 141.5 44.3 135.1
    62 467 296 945.5 774.5 696.5 525.5 171 56.3 147.4
    63 504.5 333.5 1035 864 893 722 171 46.2 119.7
    64 434 312.5 973 851.5 713 591.5 121.5 52.8 144.0
    65 331.5 281.5 852 802 711 661 50 42.6 121.3
    66 433.5 391 735 692.5 641.5 599 42.5 65.3 115.6
    67 354.5 229.5 933.5 878.5 747 692 55 43.3 127.0
    68 385 336 939 890 759 710 49 47.3 125.4
    69 411 353.5 950 892.5 741.5 684 57.5 51.7 130.5
    70 418.5 342.5 920 844 754 678 76 50.5 124.5
    71 396 322 934 860 742 668 74 48.2 128.7
    72 347 296 863 812 729 678 51 43.7 119.8
    73 344 310 865 831 722 688 34 45.1 120.8
    74 351 308 865.5 822.5 744.5 701.5 43 43.9 117.2
    75 358 326 898.5 866.5 730 698 32 46.7 124.1
    76 323 284 848.5 809.5 684.5 645.5 39 44.0 125.4
    77 385 339.5 972 926.5 710 664.5 45.5 51.1 139.4
    78 495 406 1032.5 943.5 816 727 89 55.8 129.8
    79 389.5 297.5 706.5 614.5 535.5 443.5 92 67.1 138.6
    80 399.5 305.5 903.5 809.5 685.5 591.5 94 51.6 136.9
    81 405.5 310.5 852 757 718 623 95 49.8 121.5
    82 414 328 971 885 809 723 86 45.4 122.4
    83 383.5 307.5 963 887 760.5 684.5 76 44.9 129.6
    84 425 345 794.5 714.5 713 633 80 54.5 112.9
    85 368 290.5 899 821.5 804.5 727 77.5 40.0 113.0
    86 395 306.5 639 550.5 480 391.5 88.5 78.3 140.6
    87 415 332 775 692 687.5 604.5 83 54.9 114.5
    88 402 318 699.5 615.5 674 590 84 53.9 104.3
    89 365 277 876 788 714 626 88 44.2 125.9
    90 422.5 342.5 921 841 779.5 699.5 80 49.0 120.2
    91 440 359 903 822 729.5 648.5 81 55.4 126.8
    92 430 333 782 685 788.5 691.5 97 48.2 99.1
    93 369.5 250.5 675 556 518 399 119 62.8 139.3
    94 416 320.5 836 740.5 874 778.5 95.5 41.2 95.1
    95 430 297 942 809 745 612 133 48.5 132.2
    96 456.5 391.5 755 690 516 451 65 86.8 153.0
    97 427.5 354.5 852 779 553.5 480.5 73 73.8 162.1
    98 402.5 348.5 909 855 672 618 54 56.4 138.3
    99 379.5 338.5 927 886 723 682 41 49.6 129.9
    100 431.5 386.5 977 932 829.5 784.5 45 49.3 118.8
  • TABLE 2
    Samples Jk (a+ b−) MFI probe MFI probe V % probe V % probe
    Nr MFI probe Jka Jkb CP Jka Jkb
    1 591 95 863.5 68.4 11.0
    2 590 108 958 61.6 11.3
    3 556.5 74.5 754 73.8 9.9
    4 556 84 835 66.6 10.1
    5 550.5 79 815.5 67.5 9.7
    6 495 84.5 792 62.5 10.7
    7 591 111 892.5 66.2 12.4
    8 547 79 755 72.5 10.5
    9 610 99 920 66.3 10.8
    10 475 85 774 61.4 11.0
    11 510 93 736.5 69.2 12.6
    12 523 102 761.5 68.7 13.4
    13 504 87 732 68.9 11.9
    14 463 73 697.5 66.4 10.5
    15 559 95 786.5 71.1 12.1
    16 545.5 114 748.5 72.9 15.2
    17 556 127 1190.5 46.7 10.7
    18 777 166.5 1524 51.0 10.9
    19 397 68.5 611 65.0 11.2
    20 743 130 978 76.0 13.3
    21 811.5 154.5 1148 70.7 13.5
    22 766.5 142.5 1074.5 71.3 13.3
    23 687 116 982.5 69.9 11.8
    24 729 137 1093 66.7 12.5
    25 666 127 1044 63.8 12.2
    26 231 63.5 367 62.9 17.3
    27 647 105 547.5 123.1 19.2
    28 675.5 120 889 76.0 13.5
    29 454 97 763 59.5 12.7
    30 551 90.5 774 71.2 11.7
    31 434.5 80 660.5 65.8 12.1
    32 468.5 110.5 597 78.5 18.5
    33 420 71.5 566 74.2 12.6
    34 496.5 87 639.5 77.6 13.6
    35 511.5 92 809.5 63.2 11.4
    36 594.5 88.5 802.5 74.1 11.0
    37 434.5 113 710 61.2 15.9
    38 688 86 649 106.0 13.3
    39 566.5 92 798 71.0 11.5
    40 574.5 239 800 71.8 29.9
    41 584 87 588 99.3 14.8
    42 592 102 816 72.5 12.5
    43 533 108 852 62.6 12.7
    44 617 108 888.5 69.4 12.2
    45 487 66 469 103.8 14.1
    46 566 100 784.5 72.1 12.7
    47 625.5 116.5 857.5 72.9 13.6
    48 625 107 877.5 71.2 12.2
    49 572.5 66 563 101.7 11.7
    50 553.5 75 567.5 97.5 13.2
  • TABLE 3
    Samples Jk (a− b+) MFI probe MFI probe V % probe V % probe
    Nr MFI probe Jka Jkb CP Jka Jkb
    1 33.5 989 613 5.5 161.3
    2 6 1212 537 1.1 225.7
    3 −5 1188 531 0.9 223.7
    4 14.5 1173 553 2.6 212.1
    5 23.5 1255.5 717 3.3 175.1
    6 22 1445 694 3.2 208.2
    7 24 1319 586 4.1 225.1
    8 29 1590 692.5 4.2 229.6
    9 28 1226 576.5 4.9 212.7
    10 32 1318.5 624 5.1 211.3
    11 36 1236.5 645 5.6 191.7
    12 35 1377 634.5 5.5 217.0
    13 30.5 1241 600 5.1 206.8
    14 26.5 1149 621.5 4.3 184.9
    15 25.5 1214 548 4.7 221.5
    16 26 1186 504 5.2 235.3
    17 12 507 243.5 4.9 208.2
    18 12 741.5 393.5 3.0 188.4
    19 8 1029.5 474.5 1.7 217.0
    20 49 1502 713 6.9 210.7
    21 46 1226.5 591.5 7.8 207.4
    22 30.5 1690.5 851 3.6 198.6
    23 24.5 1365 664 3.7 205.6
    24 53 1493 738.5 7.2 202.2
    25 36 1758.5 964.5 3.7 182.3
    26 15 1235.5 573 2.6 215.6
    27 21.5 1187 533.5 4.0 222.5
    28 14.5 1166 395.5 3.7 294.8
    29 15 1153 498 3.0 231.5
    30 10 1222.5 592.5 1.7 206.3
    31 28 1191 516 5.4 230.8
    32 13.5 1077.5 416 3.2 259.0
    33 12 1019 462 2.6 220.6
    34 28 1314 500 5.6 262.8
    35 15.5 1241.5 542.5 2.9 228.8
    36 18.5 1227 543.5 3.4 225.8
    37 20 1089.5 573 3.5 190.1
    38 22 1413 568.5 3.9 248.5
    39 21 1100.5 376 5.6 292.7
    40 17.5 1375.5 609.5 2.9 225.7
    41 27 1427.5 631 4.3 226.2
    42 26 1475.5 683 3.8 216.0
    43 20.5 1356.5 609.5 3.4 222.6
    44 22 1198 611 3.6 196.1
    45 22 1436.5 644.5 3.4 222.9
    46 23 1290 553 4.2 233.3
    47 34 1101 363 9.4 303.3
    48 18.5 1539.5 558 3.3 275.9
    49 46 1321 613 7.5 215.5
    50 59.5 1506.5 605.5 9.8 248.8
  • BIBLIOGRAPHY
    • Colinas R J, Bellisario R, Pass K A. Clinical Chemistry 2000; 46 n. 7: 996-998.
    • Dunbar S A, Jacobson J W. Clinical Chemistry 2000; 46 n. 9: 1498-1500.
    • Earley M C, Vogt R F, Shapiro H M, Mandy F F, Kellar K L, Bellisario R, Pass K A, Marti G E, Stewart C C, Hannon W H. Cytometry (Clinical Cytometry) 2002; 50: 239-242.
    • Keller K L, lannone MA. Exp. Hematol. 2002; 30:1227-1237.
    • Kellar K L. Journal of Clinical Ligand Assay 2003; 26 n. 2: 82-92.
    • Iannone M A, Taylor J D, Chen J. Li M S, Rivers P, Slentz-Kesler K A, Weiner M. Cytometry 2000; 39: 131-140.
    • Fulton J R, McDade R L, Smith P L, Kienker L J, Kettman J R. Clinical Chemistry 1997; 43 n. 9: 1749-1756.
    • Taylor J D, Briley D, Nguyen Q, Long K, Iannone M A, Li M S, Ye F, Afshari A, Lai E, Wagner M, Chen J, Weiner M P. Biotechniques 2001; 30: 661-669.
    • Armstrong B, Stewart M, Mazumder A. Cytometry 2000; 40: 102-108.
    • Kettman J R, Davies T, Chandler D, Oliver K G, Fulton R J. Cytometry 1998; 33: 234-243.
    • Defoort J P, Martin M, Casano B, Prato S, Camilla C, Fert V. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 2000; 38 n. 3: 1066-1071.
    • Irshaid N M, Thuresson B, Olsson M L. British Journal of Haematology 1998; 102: 1010-1014.
    • Lucien N, Chiarori J, Cartron J P, Bailly. Blood 2002; 99: 1079-1081.
    • Irshaid N M, Eicher N I, Hustinx H, Poole J, Olsson M L. British Journal of Haematology 2002; 116: 445-453.
    • Sidoux-Walter F, Lucine N, Nissinen Riikka, Sistonen P, Henry S, Moulds J, Cartron J P, Bailly P. Blood 2000; 96 n. 4; 1567-1573.
    • Irshaid N M, Henry S M, Olsson M L. Transfusion 2000; 40: 69-74.
    • Lucien N, Sidoux W F, Olives B, Moulds J, Le Pennec P Y, Cartron J P, Bailly P. Issue 1998; 273 n. 21: 12973-12980.
    • Olives B, Merriman M, Bailly P, Bain S, Barnett A, Todd J, Cartron J P, Merriman T. Human Molecular Genetics 1997; 6 n. 7: 1017-1020.
    • Hessner M J, Pircon R A, Johnson S T, Luhm R A. Prenatal Diagnosis 1998; 18: 1225-1231.
    • Spain M, Jacobson J. Amer Genomics/Proteomics Technol. 2001; 47: 1241-1256
    • Ye F, Li M-S, Taylor J D. Hum. Mutat 2001; 17: 305-316.

Claims (17)

1. Oligonucleotide probes amino-modified at the 5′end having a sequence length ranging from 16 to 20 nucleotides, said sequence being characterized in that it comprises, at the centre, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific for the alleleic variants of the gene coding for said polymorphism and said oligonucleotide probes hybridizing with said alleles, wherein said gene is the Kidd gene.
2. The probes according to claim 3, having the following sequences: a) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′; b) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′ or the sequences complementary thereto.
3. The probes according to claim 1, said probes are conjugated with a microparticle or set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance.
4. Use of the oligonucleotide probes as defined in claim 1 for the identification and genomic erythrocyte typing of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals.
5. Microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined in claim 1.
6. A method for the identification of and typing for at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following phases: a) DNA extraction from a biological sample; b) amplification via PCR of the gene fragment comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system to be analyzed by means of specific primers of which at least one is marked at the 5′end with biotin to obtain biotinylated PCR products; c) conjugation of the oligonucleotide probes as defined in claim 1 with a microparticle or a set of micro-particles marked with at least one fluorescent substance; d) hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products of phase b) with the conjugated products of phase c) and detection with the addition of streptavidine-phycoerythrin,—e) detection of the fluorescence.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the single nucleotide polymorphism is of the Kidd blood group.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the primers of phase b) have the following sequences: i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′[upsilon]) Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the primer I) is biotinylated at the 5′ end.
10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the oligonucleotide probes of phase c) have the following sequences: iii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′; iv) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′.
11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the set of fluorescent microparticles are of Luminex Corporation.
12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the fluorescence detection is effected with the LabMAP™ system.
13. A diagnostic kit for the identification and genomic erythrocyte typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following components: a) a set of primers for amplification by PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system considered; b) oligonucleotide probes as defined according to each of the claims from, 1 to, conjugated with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, said probes being capable of hybridizing with said single nucleotide polymorphism.
14. The diagnostic kit according to claim 13, wherein the single nucleotide polymorphism is the Kidd erythrocyte system.
15. The diagnostic kit according to claim 13, wherein the primers of phase a) have the following sequences: i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′[upsilon]) Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′
16. The diagnostic kit according to claim 17, wherein the primer i) is biotinylated at the 5′.
17. The diagnostic kit according to claim 12, wherein the oligonucleotide probes of phase b) have the following sequences: iii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′; iv) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′.
US11/795,827 2005-01-25 2006-01-25 Oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, methods and relative diagnostic kits Active 2026-04-15 US7811763B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI2005A0098 2005-01-25
ITMI2005A000098 2005-01-25
IT000098A ITMI20050098A1 (en) 2005-01-25 2005-01-25 OLIGONUCLEOTIDIC PROBES FOR GENOMIC TYPE OF ERITROCYTIC SYSTEMS METHODS AND RELATIVE DIAGNOSTIC KITS
PCT/IB2006/000224 WO2006079925A2 (en) 2005-01-25 2006-01-25 Oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, methods and relative diagnostic kits

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20080299553A1 true US20080299553A1 (en) 2008-12-04
US7811763B2 US7811763B2 (en) 2010-10-12

Family

ID=36593707

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/795,827 Active 2026-04-15 US7811763B2 (en) 2005-01-25 2006-01-25 Oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, methods and relative diagnostic kits

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US7811763B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1841885B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE524562T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2595687C (en)
DK (1) DK1841885T3 (en)
ES (1) ES2373456T4 (en)
IL (1) IL184724A (en)
IT (1) ITMI20050098A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2006079925A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMI20070504A1 (en) 2007-03-13 2008-09-14 Fond Irccs Ospedale Maggiore METHOD FOR THE GENOMIC TYPE OF ERITROCITARY SYSTEMS, OLIGONUCLEOTIC PROBES AND RELATIVE DIAGNOSTIC KITS

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6245518B1 (en) * 1998-12-11 2001-06-12 Hyseq, Inc. Polynucleotide arrays and methods of making and using the same
US6582906B1 (en) * 1999-04-05 2003-06-24 Affymetrix, Inc. Proportional amplification of nucleic acids
US20030143585A1 (en) * 2001-07-17 2003-07-31 Northwestern University Solid-phase reactions

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005095651A2 (en) * 2004-03-26 2005-10-13 Research Development Foundation Molecular markers of cisplatin resistance in cancer and uses thereof
EP1591534A1 (en) * 2004-04-01 2005-11-02 Stichting Sanquin Bloedvoorziening A method of genotyping blood cell antigens and a kit suitable for genotyping blood cell antigens

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6245518B1 (en) * 1998-12-11 2001-06-12 Hyseq, Inc. Polynucleotide arrays and methods of making and using the same
US6582906B1 (en) * 1999-04-05 2003-06-24 Affymetrix, Inc. Proportional amplification of nucleic acids
US20030143585A1 (en) * 2001-07-17 2003-07-31 Northwestern University Solid-phase reactions

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITMI20050098A1 (en) 2006-07-26
ES2373456T3 (en) 2012-02-03
CA2595687C (en) 2014-05-27
IL184724A0 (en) 2007-12-03
WO2006079925A2 (en) 2006-08-03
EP1841885A2 (en) 2007-10-10
ATE524562T1 (en) 2011-09-15
CA2595687A1 (en) 2006-08-03
DK1841885T3 (en) 2012-01-09
EP1841885B1 (en) 2011-09-14
WO2006079925A3 (en) 2007-03-01
ES2373456T4 (en) 2012-04-17
IL184724A (en) 2012-01-31
US7811763B2 (en) 2010-10-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN107250379B (en) High throughput single cell analysis combining proteomic and genomic information
JP2004504036A (en) Method for direct genetic analysis of target cells by using fluorescent probes
EP1591534A1 (en) A method of genotyping blood cell antigens and a kit suitable for genotyping blood cell antigens
JP2000502260A (en) Methods for evaluating polymorphic gene sequences and their use in identifying HLA types
US9556483B2 (en) Methods of screening for binding interaction using sets of microparticles and unique probes
WO1993006242A1 (en) Diagnostic assays for genetic mutations associated with bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency
US20200318181A1 (en) Method for obtaining single-cell mRNA sequence
US7811763B2 (en) Oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, methods and relative diagnostic kits
US6790616B1 (en) Method for typing of HLA class I alleles
Pietz et al. Multiplex genotyping of human minor histocompatibility antigens
US20030190609A1 (en) Address/capture tags for flow-cytometery based minisequencing
Matsubara et al. A rapid and sensitive method for HLA-DRB1 typing by acridinium-ester-labeled DNA probes
US9243292B2 (en) Method for the genomic typing of erythrocyte systems, oligonucleotide probes and relative diagnostic kits
TWI707864B (en) Oligonucleotide microarray for detection of canine mdr1 gene mutations and determination method thereof and method for determination of the risk of chemotherapy side effects to a subject
WO2006054740A1 (en) Nucleic acid fragments for detecting nucleic acid and method of detecting nucleic acid

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: FONDAZIONE IRCCS OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLICLINICO MAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:POLI, FRANCESCA;DRAGO, FRANCESCA;VILLA, MARIA ANTONIETTA;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019806/0708

Effective date: 20070824

AS Assignment

Owner name: FONDAZIONE IRCCS CA' GRANDA-OSPEDALE MAGGIORE POLI

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNORS:POLICLINICO, FONDAZIONE IRCCS OSPEDALE MAGGIORE;ELENA, MANGIAGALLI REGINA;REEL/FRAME:024465/0315

Effective date: 20100311

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 4

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2552)

Year of fee payment: 8

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 12TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2553); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 12